Introduction
Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), rather like the more recent American astronomer Carl Sagan, was not only an authority in his field, but a gifted communicator who inspired others to take an active interest in science.
AS a boy in Penzance, Humphry Davy delighted in legends and poetry, but he also had a knack for machinery, and spent hours in his grandfather’s dispensary fiddling about with chemicals.
“This boy” the surgeon said good-humoredly, “will blow us all into the air”.
Davy became a laboratory assistant in Bristol, where Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey encouraged his verse-making. But in 1801, at just twenty-three, he was appointed a Professor of Chemistry at the newly-established Royal Institution in London.
His lectures became crowded, fashionable events, raising the profile of scientific study and institutions. Soon he was in demand across Europe, receiving prestigious honours in Paris and Dublin, and a knighthood in 1812.
The coal industry rewarded him handsomely for his miner’s ‘safety-lamp’ in 1815, and Davy was raised to a Baronetcy and elected President of the Royal Society.
He himself, however, is said to have joked that his greatest discovery was his laboratory assistant, Michael Faraday.
Précis
Sir Humphry Davy was a Cornish academic chemist, who at just twenty-three was awarded a coveted post in the new Royal Institution. He became something of a celebrity lecturer, honoured at home and abroad. Often remembered today as the designer of a miner’s safety-lamp, his contribution to science also included fostering the career of Michael Faraday. (56 / 60 words)
Sir Humphry Davy was a Cornish academic chemist, who at just twenty-three was awarded a coveted post in the new Royal Institution. He became something of a celebrity lecturer, honoured at home and abroad. Often remembered today as the designer of a miner’s safety-lamp, his contribution to science also included fostering the career of Michael Faraday.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, or, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until, whereas.
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Great. However. Newly.
2 Handsome. Raise. Receive.
3 Delight. Have. Scientific.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Industry. 2. Just.
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding im-.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
cng (5+1)
coinage. cooing. cueing. cuing. icing.
conga.
